The White House has clarified why the US is not assisting Ukraine in shooting down drones, as it did with its allies during Iran's attack on Israel.
White House advisor John Kirby addressed this issue during a White House briefing on Monday.
Different Conflicts, Different Approaches
When questioned about the disparity in response between the situations in Israel and Ukraine, Kirby noted that these involve "different conflicts, different airspace, different threat pictures."
"President Biden was clear from the outset of the conflict in Ukraine: the US will not engage in combat," Kirby explained.
"We are equipping Ukraine with the tools to defend its airspace. However, currently, we cannot extend further assistance due to the lack of additional national security funding needed by Ukraine," the White House advisor continued.
Kirby addressed the urgency of the situation: "Israel and Ukraine are both good friends of the US, engaged in very different battles but both fighting for their sovereignty and security. Time is critical for both, which is why it’s imperative to expedite the bipartisan bill already passed by the Senate to aid both the Israeli Defense Forces and the Ukrainian military."
International Collaboration in Israel
As reported by Ukrinform, the representative of the Israel Defense Forces, Daniel Hagari, said that on the night of April 14, Iran launched more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel, 99% of which were intercepted by air defense forces.
A team of allies - Great Britain, France and the United States - helped repel enemy attacks on Israel.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that the British Air Force cannot shoot down drones over Ukraine, as it did during the attack on Israel, as this could pose a risk of escalation and a full-scale war in Europe.
